Pieris plant named ‘Ralto’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Pieris  plant named ‘Ralto’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; green and yellow variegated leaves; large inflorescences with numerous red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pieris japonica.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Ralto’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Pieris, botanically known as Pieris japonica, and herinafter referred to by the name ‘Ralto’.

The new Pieris is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Pieris japonica cultivar Valley Valentine, not patented. The new Pieris was discovered and selected by the Inventor from within a population of plants of the cultivar Valley Valentine in a controlled environment in Zundert, The Netherlands in January, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new Pieris by cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Zundert, The Netherlands since January, 2001 has shown that the unique features of this new Pieris are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Pieris has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and/or light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Ralto’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Ralto’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Pieris:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Green and yellow variegated leaves.     -   3. Large inflorescences with numerous red purple-colored         flowers.     -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Pieris differ from plants of the parent, the cultivar Valley Valentine, primarily in leaf color as plants of the cultivar Valley Valentine have solid green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Pieris can be compared to the plants of the Pieris cultivar Flaming Silver, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Zundert, The Netherlands, plants of the new Pieris differed from plants of the cultivar Flaming Silver in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Developing leaves of plants of the new Pieris were light         green with light orange-colored apices whereas developing leaves         of plants of the cultivar Flaming Silver were red in color.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Pieris were red purple in color         whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Flaming Silver were         creamy white in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Pieris. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Pieris.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Ralto’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical leaves and flowers of ‘Ralto’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Zundert, The Netherlands in 23-cm containers, in a glass-covered greenhouse during the winter and under commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 22° C. and night temperatures ranged from 7° C. to 13° C. Plants used for the photographs and description were about five years old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pieris japonica ‘Ralto’.     -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Pieris         japonica cultivar Valley Valentine, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten weeks at             temperatures of 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial, evergreen; upright             and outwardly spreading plant habit; broad inverted             triangle. Moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about six lateral             branches develop per plant.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of flowers.—About 40.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 39 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 13.3 cm. Diameter:             About 4 mm. Internode length: About 3 mm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A; becoming closer to             199A to 199B with development.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate or whorled at             terminals; simple. Length: About 4.6 cm. Width: About             1.6 cm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Apiculate. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Crenate. Venation pattern: Pinnate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Developing foliage, upper surface: 144A; towards the apex,             between 29D and 159A. Developing foliage, lower surface:             144A; towards the apex, 159A. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: Between 139A and 147A; random blotches, 194A to             194B; margins (about 2 mm in width), between 10B and 10D;             venation, 144A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface:             Between 137C and 147B; random blotches, 148D; margins (about             2 mm in width), 8B; venation, 144A. Petiole: Length: About             8 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             146A to 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and appearance.—Single urceolate flowers             arranged on terminal paniculate racemes. Inflorescences             bending with the weight of developing flowers. Freely             flowering habit; about 200 flowers develop per inflorescence             during the flowering period.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Pieris typically             flower in March in The Netherlands. Flowers not persistent.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about two weeks on             the plant.         -   Fragrance.—Sweet, pleasant.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 9.8 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 10.6 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6 mm.         -   Flower depth.—About 7 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape:             Ovoid. Color: N185C to N185D; towards the apex, 187A to             187B.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single urceolate flower form; single             whorl of five petals fused at the base. Length: About             6.5 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Roughly ovate with obtuse             apex. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower             surfaces: Between 59B to 60B; towards the base, between             N155C and 186D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: 60A             to 60B; towards the base, between N155C and 186D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five fused in a single whorl. Length:             About 3.5 mm. Width: About 1.2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Broadly cuneate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Immature, upper and lower             surfaces: N185C to N185D. Mature, upper and lower surfaces:             Between N185D and 186D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 mm.             Angle: Initially upright to about 80° from vertical.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, upper surface: 183C to 183D. Color, lower surface:             144B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Angle: About 10° to 50° from vertical. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface:             144B. Color, lower surface: 183C to 183D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower: About             ten. Anther shape: Roughly oval. Anther length: About 1 mm.             Anther color: 200C to 200D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to N167C. Gynoecium: Quantity of pistils per             flower: Typically one. Pistil length: About 6 mm. Style             length: About 5 mm. Style color: 145B. Stigma shape:             Narrowly club-shaped. Stigma diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Stigma color: Close to 144B. Ovary color: 144A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Pieris have been observed to     have good garden performance and to be tolerant to rain and wind and     temperatures from about −15° C. to about 33° C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants have not been observed to be     resistant to pathogens and pests common to Pieris. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Pieris plant named ‘Ralto’ as illustrated and described. 